Apparatus for producing novelty yarn



Oct. 29, 1957 R. w. MGCULLQUGH v 2,811,011

^ APPARATUS. FOR PRoDucING NOVELTY YARN Find May 13. 1953 ATTORNEY 2,81 l ,0l l Patented ct. 29, 195,7

APPARATUS FR PRDUCNG NGVELTY YARN Robert W. McCuiiough, Pendleton, S. C., assigner to Deering Miililren Research Corporation, ton, S. C., a corporation of Delaware Application May 13, 1953, Serial No. 354,711

14 Claims. (Cl. 57--38.3)

The present invention relates to the production of novelty yarn and more particularly to the production of yarn of variable diameter and comprises novel apparatus for automatically injecting slubs of variable diameter into yarn during the manufacture thereof or optionally producing a thick-and-thin yarn in which the diameter varies in a predetermined and controllable manner.

The invention comprises an improvement over that disclosed and claimed in Strother Patent No. 2,612,743, dated October 7, i952. In the patented system, means are provided for creating control signals of random occurrence and of random length suitable for use in control of slub injecting mechanism. The patent discloses also means for randomly varying the diameter of the injected slubs. It is frequently desirable to duplicate a specific slub containing yarn or to control the pattern of sequence of slub diameter or to create a duplicatable thick-and-thin yarn and for these purposes the present invention provides a convenient and relatively simple apparatus that may be readily employed with the specific means of the said Strother patent for creating randomly occurring control signals of constant or of random length or with other apparatus for creating control signals, as for example, that disclosed in Anderson Patent No. 2,595,220 dated May 6, 1952. In this latter patent means are provided for creating control signals of random or controllable occurrence and length, for recording and reproducing such signals, and for utilizing such reproduced signals for injecting into yarn slubs of constant diameter. The apparatus of the present invention comprises-essentially a variable speed motor adapted to be coupled to the feed rolls of a spinning frame to effect an over-drive thereof, a plurality of individually adjustable elements each adapted when connected in the motor circuit to set the motor speed and means responsive to control signals, however produced, for sequentially connecting the speed controlling elements into the motor circuit to thereby correspondingly vary the diameter of the yarn produced during the period or periods that the motor is coupled to the feed rolls. The coupling is effected by an electrically controlled clutch which, when slubs are to be produced, is actuated to couple the motor to the feed rolls for the duration of each control signal and when thick-and-thin yarn is to be produced is permanently actuated from a separate source. For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing of which the single gure is 'a diagrammatic representation of apparatus embodying the invention.

In the drawing a unit of a yarn spinning frame is diagrammatically illustrated as comprising a pair of feed rolls 2, a pair of draft rolls 4 and a conventional ring spinner 6. The rolls 2 draw roving` S from one or a plurality of supply bobbins and feed it into the ratchet defined by the two pair of rolls where it is drafted by the rapid rotation of the draft rolls 4. The drafted bers,

upon emission from the nips of the draft rolls are spun into yarn by the ring spinner 6. As is well known, the diameter of yarn spun from any roving on a given mechanism may be varied by varying the draft of the mechanisrn, that is by varying the ratio of the peripheral speed of the draft rolls to that of the feed rolls, decreasein draft resulting in increase in diameter. Thus to vary yarn diameter, either the feed roll speed or the draft roll 4speed may be varied but, to avoid the necessity of correspondingly varying the rate of rotation of the ring spinner when draft roll speed is varied, it is preferable and customary to change the draft of a mechanism by changing the feed roll speed. Accordingly the control means of the invention is arranged for control of the speed of rotation of the feed rolls. j

The draft rolls 4 are driven fromthe main drive shaft l2 of the frame through suitable multiplicationgearing indicated diagrammatically at 13. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, drive shaft 12 chain drives a pulley 14 rotatably mounted on the shaft 16 of the driven feed roll 2. A ratchet wheel 18 fixed to the shaft 16 is positioned to be driven by `a pawl 20 carried by a pin 22 secured to the p ulley adjacent the periphery thereof when the rate of rotation of the feed roll shaft does not exceed that of the pulley. Thus the minimum speed of the feed rolls, and Ktherefore the minimum diameter of the produced yarn, is determined by the rate of rotation of the main drive shaft 12. In order to vary the diameter of the yarn a second ratchet wheel 24- is xed to the shaft 16 and this wheel is positioned to be driven by a pawl Z6 carried by a'pin 28 secured to a drive pulley 30. Pulley 30 is fixed to a shaft 32 which, when the feed roll speed is to b e increased, is coupled to the shaft of a variable speedA motor 34Y by a solenoid operated clutch, indicated diagrammatically at 36. Thus, when clutch 36 is energized, the rate of rotation of the feed rolls 2 of the yarn spinning mechanism will depend upon the speed of motor 34.

The speed of the motor is determined by the position of the arm 3S of a rotary switch 40 and by the setting of adjustable taps on a group of resistors 42, 44, 46 and 48 adapted to be sequentially coupled to the motor circuit when the switch arm 38 is stepped. So far as the present invention is concerned, the resistors 42 to 48 may be considered as adapted to be sequentially connected in series with the motor armature for control `of the motor speed. Preferably the motor circuit includes means for automatically regulating the speed to that set by the particular one of the resistors 42 to 48 coupled to the motor circuit by the switch arm 38. For example, speed regulation of the motor could be eected by controlling the armature current through t-hyratron tubes. The resistors 42 to 48 would then be so coupled to the grid circuits as to control the tiring of the tubes and thereby control the motor speed. Alternately, the resistors could be selectively connected to the field circuit of the motor. In accordance with the invention, the switch arm 33 is stepped from one rotary position to the next in response to control signals. For this purpose the arm 38 is mechanically coupled, as indicated diagrammatically by the dashed line 5t), to the shaft of a ratchet wheel 52 and the wheel 52 is advanced step by step through the intermediary of a pawl 54 carried by the armature 56 of a solenoid 58, the pawl serving to rotate the ratchet through one step each time the solenoid is energized to attract its armature. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated, the switch 40 has eleven xed contacts A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, I and K, uniformly spaced in a circular arrangement about the axis of rotation of the movable arm 38. The adjustable tap on resistor 42 is connected to contacts G and K, the adjustable tap on resistor 44 to contacts I, A and E, the adjustable tap on resistor 46 to contacts I, B and D, and the adjustable tap on resistor 48 to contact H, C and F. Thus the sequence of motor speeds, calling the speed determined by the position of the taplon resistor 42 speed 1, that determined by the position of the tap on resistor 44 speed 2, that determined by the position of the tap on resistor 46 speed 3, and that determined by the position of the tap on resistor 48 speed 4, will be l-2-3-43-24- 1-4-2-3. Obviously, any other desired sequence can be obtained by change of the connections to the fixed contacts. Greater or fewer number of fixed contacts could be employed and greater or fewer number of speed controlling resistors could be provided if desired.

Solenoid 58, and optionally the electro mechanical clutch 36 are energized in response to control signals. The control signals may be of random occurrence and of fixed or of random length, or they may be operator controlled and produced. In the drawing a source of control pulses is indicated diagrammatically at 60. This source may be, for example, the circuit disclosed in the said Strother patent which includes one or more counter tubes for initiating each control signal and means such as a cam rotating at a rate independent of the production of the control signals or additional counter tubes for terminating each control signal. Alternatively, the source 60 may comprise a circuit such as disclosed in the said Anderson patent which includes means for producing, recording and reproducing control signals of random occurrence and of random duration, with or without means for controlling the average rate of occurrence of the signals and for insuring a minimum interval between signals. As the specific means for creating control signals form no part of the present invention, it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate herein any specific circuit Lfor generating such signals. Reference may be had to the said Strother and Anderson patents for suitable circuits.

The source 60 is connected to one pair of fixed terminals of a double pole double throw switch 62, the movable blades of which are connected to a relay 64. This relay 64 if the source 60 includes the circuit disclosed in the Strother patent, corresponds to relay 45 of Fig. 1 of that patent or to relay 162 of Fig. 3 of that patent. Relay 64, if the source 60 includes circuity such as disclosed in the said Anderson patent, corresponds to relay 64 of Fig. 2 of that patent. The other fixed contacts of the switch 62 are connected across a source of energy indicated as a battery 66 through a manually operated push-button switch 68 for operator control of the production of control signals. Relay 64, when energized, closes the energizing circuit of solenoid 58, connecting the solenoid across terminals 70 to which energy is delivered from a suitable source (not shown). The control winding of the clutch 36 is connected to the movable blades of a second double pole double throw switch 72, one pair of fixed terminals of which are connected to the input terminals 70 and the other pair of iixed terminals of which are connected to the leads 74 of the solenoid 58. Thus when switch 72 is thrown to place the clutch and the solenoid in parallel, the circuit to these devices is open at the armatures of relay 64 except when that relay is energized in response to a control signal, whereas when the switch 72 is thrown to the other posi tion, the clutch is permanently energized and the solenoid 58 is energized only during control signals.

The operation of the above described circuit will be clear, at least in part, from the description already given. Assuming that the switch 62 is thrown to connect relay .64 with the circuit including the source 66 and that switch 72- is thrown to place the clutch and the solenoid in parallel, then With switch 68 open, the feed rolls of the spinning mechanism will be driven at a low rate of speed from the drive shaftA 12; shaft 32 will be idle and ratchet wheel 24 will slide under pawl 26. The speed of the motor 34 will be constant and determined by the position of the switch arm 38. Assuming, as shown in the drawing, that the switch arm is in engagement with contact A, the speed of the motor 34 will be that determined by the adjustment of the tap on resistor 44. If now the switch 68 is momentarily depressed, both the winding of the clutch 36 and the solenoid 53 will be energized by closure of the contacts controlled by relay 64. The energization of solenoid 58 attracts the armature 56 and causes rotation of ratchet 52 through one step. Arm 38 is thereby shifted to contact B to change the motor speed to that called for by the setting of the tap on resistor 46. Clutch 36 is energized to couple shaft 32 to the motor shaft and to thereby increase the rate of rotation of the feed rolls, pawl 26 driving ratchet 24 and the teeth of ratchet wheel 18 sliding under the pawl 20. This increase in feed roll speed results in the insertion of a slub into the yarn produced by the spinning mechanism. The diameter of the slub will depend upon the position of arm 3S. If the switch 68 is held down for a relatively long period of time, a long section of thicker yarn will be produced. The length of the thick section will be determined by the length of time the switch 68 is held closed and its thickness will be determined by the speed of motor 34. On the next depression of the switch 68 the same procedure results with a different diameter of slub or of heavy yarn being inserted into the yarn. The diameter changes in the inserted slubs or heavy sections will follow the sequence heretofore given in accordance with the connections from the adjustable taps on resistors 42 to 48 to the fixed contacts of the rotary switch 40 and in accordance, of course, with the initial settings of the taps on these resistors. If the switch 62 is thrown to connect the source 60 across the relay 64 and switch 72 left in position to connect the clutch and solenoid in parallel then slubs of length determined by the duration of the control signals produced in the source 6i) andV spaced in accordance with the intervals between such signals and of diameters varying in the same sequential order will be introduced into the yarn. If switch 72 is thrown to place the clutch permanently across the source 70, thereby permanently coupling the shaft of the motor to shaft 32 for continuous over-drive of the feed rolls 2, the diameter of the produced yarn will change upon the occurrence of a control signal and will then remain constant until the initiation of the next control signal.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the new system provides a simple and convenient means for obtaining a variety of effects. With relatively few speed controlling elements, a large number of speeds and a widev latitude in their sequence may be obtained by adjusting the positions of the taps on the resistors and by changing connections to the rotary switch. The connection of the winding of the clutch to the double pole double throw switch 72 permits the apparatus to operate either for slub injection or for production of thick-andthin yarn and in either position to respond to control signals irrespective of how produced.

Whenthe control signals delivered to the equipment are reproduced from a record, as for example by the means disclosed in the said Anderson patent, duplicatable novelty yarn may be readily produced by the system of 'the present invention if the settings of the adjustable taps on the speed controlling resistors are noted and the same initial switch position at the start of the control signal record is employed. This is an important feature of the invention, applicable both to slub insertion and to thickand-thin yarn production and one which has been found to be of substantial practical value. Another feature of importance is the optional control of the coupling between the motor shaft and the over-feed drive of the feed' rolls which permits the same equipment to be used for slub injection or for thick-and-thin yarn production as desired.

Although only one specific embodiment of the invention has been diagrammatically illustrated in the drawing obviously various changes in the specific instrumentalities described could be made and various additional parts could be added. For example, means could be incorporated in the circuit controlled by the push-button switch for recording the signals to permit use of the same signals at a later time, scales calibrated in motor speeds or in yarn diameter could be, and ordinarily are, associated with the speed adjusting means and means could be provided for manually adjusting the initial position of the rotary switch arm. Other modifications or additions will occur to those skilled in the art.

The following is claimed:

l. A control system comprising in combination, a rotatable shaft to be controlled, a variable speed motor, electroresponsive means adapted when energized to couple said shaft to said motor, a plurality of speed controlling elements individually connectable to said motor to control the speed thereof, means for selectively connecting said elements to said motor, a source of control signals, means responsive to signals from said source and actuating said last mentioned means to connect said elements to said motor in a predetermined sequence, and means, responsive to signals from said source, for connecting said electroresponsive means to a source of energy for energization thereof upon occurrence of a control signal.

2. The control system according to claim 1 wherein said speed controlling means comprise a plurality of resistors having adjustable taps thereon and said means for selectively connecting said elements to the said motor cornprise a rotary switch having a movable element electrically connected to the motor and a plurality of fixed contacts connected to the taps on said resistors, said signal responsive means operating to step said movable element from one fixed contact to the next upon occurrence of a control signal.

3. The control system according to claim 2 wherein at least some of the taps on said resistors are connected to more than one fixed contact of said rotary switch.

4. In a system for producing a novelty yarn the combination comprising a variable speed motor adapted when coupled to a yarn spinning frame to control the draft thereof, a plurality of speed controlling elements adapted to be selectively activated for control of the speed of said motor, a source of lcontrol signals, means responsive to said control signals for sequentially activating said elements, and controllable means adapted when rendered operative to couple said motor to a spinning frame for control of the draft thereof.

5. The combination according to claim 4 including means responsive to the control signals for rendering operative said last mentioned means whereby at intervals determined cythe periods between successive control signals, slubs of lengths determined by the periods of duration of the signals and diameters determined by the speed controlling elements may be injected into yarn spun by the spinning frame.

6. The combination according to claim 4 including means for continuously rendering said last mentioned means operative whereby yarn having successive sections of different diameter may be spun by the spinning frame, the lengths of the sections of the spun yarn being determined by the periods between the starting of successive control signals and the diameter of the sections being determined by the speed controlling elements.

7. The combination according to claim 4 including manually controlled means for optionally rendering the last mentioned means continuously operative or operative only during control signals whereby yarn having consecutive sections of differenent diameter or yarn having Vslubs of different diameter may be optionally spun on the spinning frame.

8. The combination according to claim 4 including means for individually adjusting each speed controlling element.

9. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said speed controlling elements comprise a plurality of resistors each having a tap thereon, and said means for sequentially activating said elements comprise a plurality of fixed contacts each connected to one of said taps, a switch arm sequentially movable into engagement with said contacts, and means responsive to each control signal for moving said arm from one contact engaging position to the next contact engaging position.

10. Apparatus for producing novelty yarn comprising in combination a pair of rolls, a variable speed motor to drive at least one of said rolls, a source of control signals, a plurality of rate-controlling elements to determine the rate at which said rolls are driven by said motor, and means responsive to said control signals for sequentially activating said elements.

11. Apparatus for producing novelty yarn comprising in combination a pair of rolls, a drive shaft for driving one of said rolls, a rst driving means to drive said shaft at a selected minimum rate, di-sengaging means to effectively disengage said shaft from said first driving means when said shaft is rotated at a rate in excess of said minimum rate, an electromagnetic clutch, a variable rate driving means to drive said shaft through said clutch, when said clutch i-s engaged, at rates in excess of said minimum rate, a plurality of rate controlling elements to detemrine the rate at which said shaft is driven by said variable rate driving means, a source of control signals, means responsive to said control signals to energize said clutch and thereby effect its engagement during the occurrence of a control signal, and means responsive to said control signals for sequentially activating said rate controlling elements.

12. Apparatus according to claim ll wherein said rate controlling elements comprise a plurality of resistors, and said means for sequentially activating said elements compri-ses a movable contact for connecting any selected one of said resistors to an electric motor.

13. Apparatus according to claim l2 wherein said movable contact is operatively connected to a ratchet wheel, said ratchet wheel being intermittently driven in response to said control signals by an electromagnetically activated pawl.

14. Apparatus for producing novelty yarn comprising in combination a pair of rolls, a rotatable shaft for driving one of said rolls, a first ratchet wheel carried by said shaft, a drive pulley journaled about said shaft, a pawl carried by said pulley to engage said first ratchet wheel when said ratchet wheel is rotated at a rate not in excess of the rate of rotation of said drive pulley, a rst drive means for driving said pulley to thereby drive said shaft at a selected minimum rate, an electro-responsive clutch, a variable rate motor means to drive said shaft from said motor through said electro-responsive clutch, when said clutch is energized, at rates in excess of said minimum rate, a plurality of resistor elements, a movable contact to connect any one of said resistor elements to said motor, a second ratchet wheel operatively connected to said movable contact so that said resistor elements are sequentially connected to said motor upon rotation of said second ratchet wheel, a second pawl operatively engaging said second ratchet wheel, electromagnetic means to effect, upon being energized, movement of said .second pawl and rotation of said second ratchet wheel to an extent suicient to change the resistor element to which said motor is operatively connected, a source of control signals, a switch, and means, operative during the occurrence of a control signal, to close said switch and thereby connect said electromag- 8 netic means and said eleetro-'respon'sive yclutch to a source 2,487,066 Moen N`v. 8, Y1949 of electrical energy. 2,595,220 Anderson May 6,V 1952 7; References Cited in the le of this patent 2,622,282 Hare Dec'. 23', 1952 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,638,731 Klein May 19', 1953 1,671,146 Crocker May 29, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 

